Spotting Celebrities on His Lunch Break

By John Cunningham

June 7, 2017

Dear Diary:

In 1988, I was working for a bank on 57th Street and Park Avenue. I spent my lunch hours walking around Midtown, grabbing a quick bite, and then returning to work. Invariably, I would see a celebrity at least once or twice a week and would tell my co-workers about these encounters.

After a while, a few colleagues challenged me over how truthful I was, saying that they had been working in the neighborhood for years and had never seen anyone famous.

I said I had a habit of looking into the face of every person who walked by me or stood next to me on the street, something that maybe most people did not do. “I’m not telling any tall tales,” I said.

One day, my friend Tracey said, “I’m going to lunch with you tomorrow, and we better meet a celebrity.”

The next day came, and we left the office together and walked 10 yards to the corner to wait for the light.

“Have you spotted any yet?” I asked her.

She looked incredulous, “What — we just left,” she said.

I leaned across her to the gentleman standing to her right. It was Henry Winkler. I asked if I could shake his hand and thank him for all the wonderful memories he gave us as Fonzie. He was quite gracious.

After shaking his hand, Tracey turned around and went right back to the office, no doubt to tell everyone about her new friend Henry.